Enzycoat II

Published 21/08/2013

This project investigated the usage of oxygen scavenging enzymes in coating formulations that can be applied onto paper, paperboard or plastic films by ordinary coating and printing units existing in the industry.

Test of food quality upon storage in boxes produced with the novel Packaging materials was performed. Methods to decrease migration and to reduce the direct contact with the packed food were developed. Tests of cytotoxicity were performed and testing protocols were developed. It was demonstrated that oxygen scavenging coatings can be applied on paper and board by conventional coating machines used for high speed industrial production. It was demonstrated that a plastic liner that will hinder direct contact between packed food and the active layer can be applied by a conventional extrusion processes without damage of the active properties. It was demonstrated that the active coating can be used to hinder oxidation and rancidity reactions of packed food such as fish stored at chilled conditions

Oxygen scavengers are used in food packaging industry, mostly in modified atmosphere packaging in order to remove the last trace of oxygen from the headspace and packed food. Oxygen scavengers are normally added as sachet containing e.g. iron powder. Glucose oxidase (GOx) has also been proposed in literature as oxygen scavenging for food applications. In this work we are exploring the possibility to coat the packaging materials itself by latex-based coatings in which the enzyme and the substrate for the enzyme reaction are embedded. The project dealt with oxygen scavenging systems for food packaging application with the enzyme and substrate for the enzyme reaction embedded in polymer-based coatings. The enzyme can be free (physically entrapped) or immobilized on to a small organic or inorganic particle. The polymer matrix may also contain filler particles in order to create a porous matrix structure where air and water vapour may have easier to diffuse. In this study, platy barrier kaolin clays were used when effects of mineral fillers were studied.

Two different enzyme systems were studied: (1) the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) with glucose as substrate and (2) the enzyme laccase (Lac) with aromatic compounds as substrate.